creed

noun

ˈkrēd 

1

: a brief authoritative formula of religious belief

the Nicene Creed

2

: a set of fundamental beliefs

also : a guiding principle

Never settle for mediocrity is his creed.

—Jill Lieber

creedal adjective

or credal

ˈkrē-dᵊl 

Synonyms

• philosophy
• ideology
• doctrine

Examples of creed in a Sentence

central to the creed of this organization of medical volunteers is the belief that health care is a basic human right

the Amish live by a strict creed that rejects many of the values and practices of modern society

Recent Examples on the Web

They should be ostracized and rebuked for rejecting the American creed. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 31 July 2025

This committee was supposed to ensure that federal agencies and contractors followed through on recruiting, hiring, and promoting workers without regard to race, creed, color, or national origin. —Sonari Glinton, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

By the 1980s, Goldwater’s limited government creed had become part of Republican dogma. —Drew Kurlowski, The Conversation, 25 June 2025

What is a totalitarian leader other than an individualist taking that creed to its cruel conclusions, erasing the uniqueness of every other person into mere characters in a drama? —Ed Simon june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English crede, from Old English crēda, from Latin credo (first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds), from credere to believe, trust, entrust; akin to Old Irish cretid he believes, Sanskrit śrad-dadhāti

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for creed

• bead
• bleed
• brede
• breed
• cede
• deed
• feed
• freed
• greed
• heed
• keyed
• knead

Kids Definition

creed

noun

ˈkrēd 

1

: a statement of the basic beliefs of a religious faith

2

: a set of guiding principles or beliefs

Etymology

Middle English crede "creed," from Old English crēda (same meaning), from Latin credo, literally, "I believe" (used as the first words in many creeds), from credere "to believe, trust, entrust" — related to credentials, credit, incredible